Drayer Physical Therapy Institute

For all the risks you might associate with decades as a firefighter, it was a seemingly innocuous incident at shift change in his Arlington, Va., fire house that put Ralph Parsons’ career in jeopardy. Two days after Christmas in 2016, Parsons was performing his normal morning checks. As he attempted to climb into a parked fire truck, his foot missed a step. He caught himself by grabbing a hand rail. He immediately felt pain but dismissed it as just a pulled muscle. Returning... from a call that came in right after his accident, Parsons was hurting so badly that he couldn’t get his coat off without assistance. He rolled up his shirt sleeve to discover that his arm from the elbow up was no bigger than his wrist. Learn more about Ralph’s #UpliftedLives journey and how with the help of physical therapy he was about to return to the career he loves.

Happy holidays from our Drayer Physical Therapy family to yours!

Happening now! We continue to fight for food security in our communities! This 5k was to benefit the Earl Besch Fund, which gives food to families in a local school district. So proud of these kids for running hard, understanding why awareness of the issue is important and for the teachers and district for supporting this great effort! #PillarsDailyBread

Santa knows the benefits of physical therapy include: Improved muscle function, for a long night of guiding the sleigh. Greater flexibility, for climbing in and out of the chimney. Stress relief, during a hectic holiday season. ... A stronger core, for hauling gifts. Every patient has a unique health history, diagnosis and personal goals. When you come for your first appointment, we will create a personalized treatment plan for you.

Join us for starting our new series of posts on exercise education! Today, we begin a series on anatomical muscle slings and treatment/exercise ideas that we use to manage a variety of orthopedic conditions here in the Drayer- Lancaster clinic! The anterior oblique sling in the attached videos can be used to improve a variety of conditions from shoulder impingement, abdominal control problems, low back pain, and hip pain as well as to treat throwing athletes. Reach o...ut to any of our therapists (Nick, Mason, Becky, Amy, Steph, or Grace) at the center at 717-391-9920 or post below with questions! 1. Cross crawls 2. Deadbugs with cross crawl press 3. Half-kneeling chop with resistance 4. Copenhagen plank with pallof press

Last day of #PTMonth #SaturdaySpotlights and we're sad to see it come to an end. We've got a few more coming at you today to finish off the month strong, starting with Marisol Clark, PT, DPT. Marisol says she grew up with a family that was all about empathy and compassion. She knew she wanted to do something that was in the "helping others" field but was unsure of what that was. After taking a career test and job shadow opportunity, she knew she had found her calling with ph...ysical therapy. She worked as a PT Technician while working her way into PT school and fell in love with the field even more. "The best part of being a physical therapist is the sincere impact I can have emotionally, physically and mentally on a person through the rehabilitation process. I feel as though the more I give the more I get, and that fills my cup up half full and keeps me going. It is a feeling of home and hope that makes physical therapy way more than just a job," she says.

It’s a wrap! There is nothing more fitting than closing out #PTMonth with those that make a difference every single day: Our physical therapists. All are committed to helping our patients achieve their physical goals and improve the quality of their lives. Thank you!

Adhesive capsulitis, commonly referred to as frozen shoulder, occurs when the joint capsule and soft tissues surrounding the shoulder become inflamed, swollen, and contracted. This causes bands of scar tissue to restrict joint mobility, which leads to stiffness, a limited range, and gradual loss of overall motion in the shoulder joint. This loss of motion can ultimately lead to loss of function for the entire upper extremity, especially with reaching and overhead activities. If you are suffering from frozen shoulder, physical therapy can help! #PTMonth #PTHumor

It is not too late to be heard! Use your voice to help us prevent devastating, proposed Medicare cuts that reduce patient access to physical therapy! Click the link to #FightTheCut www.urpt.com/FightTheCut

While there is no strong evidence that it prevents people from getting COVID-19, exercise may help to limit the risk of fatal coronavirus complications. The ACSM has found that our bodies produce immune boosts by mobilizing millions of cells during whole-body cardio exercises. As blood circulates, it carries these boosts throughout our organs, where the immune cells look for foreign, potentially infection-carrying cells to fight. Read on to learn how many minutes of cardio per week the American College for Sports Medicine recommends: https://drayer.urpt.com//exercise-may-protect-against-dea/

The proposed 9% Medicare cut to physical, occupational and speech therapy will undermine patient access and lead to negative downstream consequences for seniors & healthcare delivery system costs. Ask your lawmakers to #fightthecut: https://www.APTQI.com/FightTheCut

Outpatient therapy can play a vital role in helping the adult population continue to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. By providing services such as orthopedic rehabilitation, wellness programs, pre-habilitation, fall prevention, and pelvic health services, our trained clinicians can help improve independence, strength/conditioning, balance, and overall general well-being. Proposed Medicare cuts could limit your access to these very programs and services that keep you active and healthy. Help us #FightTheCut by visiting urpt.com/FightTheCut

By focusing on being the best, we deliver an experience that exceeds our patients’ highest expectations. #PTMonth #TuesdayTestimonial

People that have been affected directly by the coronavirus or who have limited physical activity due to self-isolation may have similar issues increased fatigue, weakness, difficulty breathing, decreased endurance, and reduced balance. The good news physical therapy can help! We take an individualized approach with each patient and perform a thorough evaluation that includes vital monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, breathing function, etc.), balance testing, strength... and flexibility testing, and activity tolerance. These tests and measures establish a baseline of function. We then develop a plan to progress safely to the highest level of function. HOW WE DO THIS: Capacity Testing Musculoskeletal Evaluation Manual Therapy Corrective Exercise Balance and Gait Training Goal-Oriented Functional Activities Safe-Discharge Planning Evidence has shown that manual therapy, followed by corrective exercise, improves overall lung function. We teach strategies to minimize stress on the heart and lung systems and the rest of the body. Our ultimate goal is to return patients to their prior levels of function, improving their quality of life by getting them back to normal. #PTMonth

National Day Calendar for Week of Oct 25th - Oct 31st Breast Cancer Awareness Month National Red Ribbon Week ... Sunday October 25, 2020- National Mother-in-Law Day Monday October 26, 2020- National Pumpkin Day Tuesday October 27, 2020- National American Beer Day Wednesday October 28, 2020- National First Responders Day Thursday October 29, 2020- National Cat Day Friday October 30, 2020- National Breadstick Day Saturday October 31, 2020- National Trick or Treat Day Stay tuned each Monday for a reminder of National days, weeks and months!!!

This #PTMonth #SaturdaySpotlight is on Natalie Shannon, DPT, ATC, CSCS. Natalie became a physical therapist due to her experience in physical therapy growing up. She was a competitive gymnast and had her fair share of therapy for various injuries. She chose physical therapy so that she could help other people get back to the things that they love. "The best part of my job is that no day is ever the same. Every day is a new challenge. Every day is rewarding because you get to be a part of people’s lives and make a difference in it, getting them back to the things they love the most," Natalie says.